The United States Coast Guard (USCG) has sent out a warning following a manufacturer recall of nearly 50,000 affected signal flares.
The USCG Office of Design and Engineering Standards was notified of a manufacturer recall of the Orion Skyblazer II Red XLT Aerial Signal (also called Orion XLT Skyblazer self-contained red meteor flare) due to three incidents of spontaneous combustion. There were no reported injuries. Continue reading “Safety recall of flares issued due to spontaneous combustion”
The UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) has published MGN 710 (M) safety management systems for small workboats and pilot boats.
Guidance on how owners and operators of small workboats and pilot boats can meet the Safety Management System (SMS) requirements of the recently launched Workboat Code Edition 3 is now available. Continue reading “MCA: MGN 710 (M) safety management systems for small workboats and pilot boats”
The UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) has update to fire safety MGN 681 (M) and storage of small electric powered craft on yachts.
MGN 681 (M) Amendment 1 includes clarification for the functionality of storage and charging cabinets or boxes where these are used as part of the solution for the carriage of li-ion batteries used on personal vehicles. Continue reading “MCA lithium-ion battery update to fire safety MGN 681 (M)”
Robert van Tol will be the new executive director of SYBAss (Superyacht Builders’ Association) effective 1st of January 2026. Following his past 7 years successfully establishing and scaling up the Water Revolution Foundation, a non-profit organisation dedicated to driving environmental progress within the yachting sector, he brings fresh energy and a modern perspective to SYBAss.
Building on SYBAss’s position in the current maritime world, Van Tol’s appointment Continue reading “SYBAss announces new Executive Director”
Lloyd’s Register (LR) has advised about upcoming amendments to the IAMSAR (International Aeronautical and Maritime Search and Rescue) Manual, which operators must have onboard their vessels in hard copy by 1 January 2026 to comply with SOLAS regulations.
According to LR, under SOLAS regulation V/21, all ships are required to carry an up-to-date copy of the IAMSAR Manual Volume III. As stated in MSC-MEPC.2/Circ.2, the IAMSAR Manual Volume III must always be available in hard Continue reading “Updated IAMSAR manual to be carried onboard from January 2026”
Steamship Mutual P&I Club has provided guidance on the risks associated with the carriage of plastic pellets in containers and provides practical measures to prevent spillage and protect the marine environment.
Understanding the risks of plastic pellets
According to the Club, in recent years, several high-profile incidents have occurred, such as the Trans Carrier in 2020 and the XPress Pearl in 2021, where containers have fallen overboard and resulted in the release of plastic pellets into seas and oceans with subsequent harm to the marine environment. Continue reading “Key tips for transferring plastic pellets in containers”
Throughout 2025, work continued on Recreational Craft Directive (RCD), Recreational Craft Regulations (RCR) and Post Construction Assessment (PCA) research, with a newly drafted paper by Tom Keeling – known as PCA 2 – receiving an encouraging response from Graham Russell MBE, Chief Executive of OPSS (Office for Product Safety & Standards). The paper is due for wider release in early 2026.
Since the release of the PCA 1 paper in 2024, IIMS has remained engaged with Continue reading “Post Construction Assessment papers trigger official policy review”
Heavy weather and an improperly secured cargo of lithium-ion battery energy storage system (BESS) units led to two fires on board the cargo vessel Genius Star XI – causing $3.8 million in damages, according to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).
What happened
On December 25, 2023, at 0830, while the cargo vessel Genius Star XI was transiting the North Pacific Ocean in heavy weather with a cargo of lithium-ion battery energy storage system units on board, a fire was discovered in a cargo hold. Continue reading “NTSB says lithium-ion batteries caused Genius Star XI fires”
You don’t need me to remind you of the catastrophic incident in March 2024, which resulted in the MV Dali totally destroying the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, killing six highway workers in the process. It really is one of the most spectacular and tragic maritime accidents in recent times, witnessed around the world by millions. We have covered the story in more detail elsewhere in this news bulletin, Continue reading “What caught my eye: January 2026”
The American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) has provided an overview of IMO Resolution MSC 581 (110) – Revised Recommendations for Entering Enclosed Spaces Aboard Ships.
These new recommendations supersede and revoke Resolution A.1050(27), replacing them with updated safety measures, definitions, and procedural requirements aimed at reducing fatalities during enclosed space entry. Continue reading “ABS shares guidance on revised recommendations for entering enclosed spaces aboard ships”
P&I club Gard has warned that a serious source of engine damage can come as a result of automatic backflush filter failure.
Automatic backflush filters are designed to protect engines by keeping fuel and lubricating oil clean. The filters generally consist of one or more chambers with a set of candles of fine wire mesh that the oil flows through. Larger particles get stuck on the surface while smaller particles flow through the filters and back into circulation. Continue reading “Gard – Beware of backflush filter failures”
Six crewmembers were forced to abandon ship after prawn trawler Odyssey capsized and sank in the North Sea on 29 October 2024. Its crew were rescued from a liferaft uninjured.
According to the UK Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB), the accident occurred after high-capacity deck wash pumps were left running unattended, while the crew recovered the fishing gear, discharging water onto the vessel’s weathertight shelter deck. It is likely that a blocked tonnage valve prevented the water from escaping, resulting in rapid flooding and a catastrophic loss of stability. Continue reading “Prawn trawler Odyssey sank after crew left wash pumps running”
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